Changing schools and/or majors?

[musicalSaranader]

Hi guys!
I'm currently a vocal music education major at Towson University, but am considering changing, possibly to SUNY Oneonta as an art major concentrating in photography.

So I was wondering...how many of you have changed your major or are planning to, or have transfered/planning to transfer schools? As much as I don't think I'd miss Towson or the music ed. program if I left...I think I'm mostly afraid of leaving the familiarity of it all. Because I've been here for almost three years and that's exactly what it's become: familiar. But at the same time I'm ready for a change. If you did switch, do you think it was the right choice for you?

[SoonerKate]

I've changed my major, a couple of times, actually. I've found that changing within a college (e.g., going from Journalism to Advertising in the Mass Comm college or English to Film Studies in Arts and Sciences.) is MUCH easier than changing from college to college within a university. But, since you'd be transferring anyhow? It probably won't be that big of a deal.

However -- be prepared to lose hours and spend some extra time in school. Between transferring, where you'll usually lose at least a little bit of credit, and changing majors, where you might have to start over with foundation courses, you'll probably get set back at least a semester.

If it's really what will make you happy? Do it. It's TOTALLY worth it. I may be finishing after 4.5 years (5 if you include my college program semester), but I majored in something that I enjoyed, which really made all the difference.

[krissy3483]

I changed colleges after my first semester, from Binghamton University to Marist. Worked out fine, and I didn't lose any credit, although I was a computer science major at both. At the beginning of my sophomore year I decided to change from CS to IS, and because I wasn't too far along in the program, I didn't lose any credit, and I will graduate on time this semester. Being further along then I was, you probably will have to spend some extra time, but if that is what you want to do, I wouldn't worry about it. An extra semester or year really isn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.
Also, my boyfriend went to SUNY Oneonta, so if you have any questions about the college or the town, feel free to PM me and I'll get the answers for you.

[Stitch_lover_Sith]

I am transfering schools this fall. I just found that the school that I am going to and I have different goals for the future. I had the hardest time making this decision. I will be leaving all my friends behind but it will be for the best. Just do what feels right.

[Mitchell]

I am 20 and have already been to 3 and am starting my 4th in the Fall! People think I am so crazy!

BUT....I went to a community college my Senior Year of High School, Fontbonne University in STL for Freshman year majoring in Childhood Education......then back to Community College (a different one) because I changed my major to Nursing....then to Wash U. for Nursing School and am now changing my major again to Human Resources Management (has to do with my job-I'm a manager at Target) and am now going to go to Maryville University in the Fall.

I lost a few credit hours each time but no big deal, I usually made them up in the summer. When I first left Fontbonne after my freshman year, I was definately scared. It was so familiar and I was so used to it. Sometimes I still miss it! But if it's what YOU want to do, go for it!

Melissa

[BeckWhy]

I've changed majors. Went from Architechure to Biology to International Relations to Psychology (I would change it again now, except I don't want to spend ANYMORE time in school). I've also changed school.

Changing majors was nothing, but changing schools sucks! I hate it here (SUNY Fredonia). All my friends are at other schools somewhere and the profs here are STUPID. I miss my old school .

[supercarrie]

I am starting to seriously consider changing universities, and I am studying in London this fall partly to see if I enjoy uni life (and British teaching) in the UK. There are a lot of reasons why I am considering transferring (or in the case of going to the UK, starting over); not to say I don't enjoy UCLA for what it is (I do, I just have several issues with it as well.) I am planning on applying and then making the decision when the time comes to decide what to do. The main drawback I see to it is the cost (I pay in-state tuition at UCLA - very inexpensive) and would have to pay overseas tuition at a UK uni (very very expensive, especially with the exchange rate at 2-1.) In addition, I sometimes wonder if I suffer from the "grass is greener" syndrome. If I don't end up changing universities, I plan on going to a uni in the UK to either obtain a 2nd bachelors degree or a masters.

[SDAngel101]

I changed my major after my first year at Cal Poly. It is weird because I came to this school to major in Animal Health Science, because it was the closest college to San Diego that had an Animal Science program. I changed out of the College of Agriculture, to the C.L.A.S.S college (College of Letters and Social Sciences) to major in Sociology. It wasn't hard to change colleges, but what sucks is that some of my classes for AHS don't fit any category for SOC so they just go under unrestricted units. Do whatever makes you happy, I realized that AHS just wasnt for me anymore... so I changed.

[CrazyChristie416]

Hey guys,

Im currently attending my 4th college, and have changed majors at least 5 times, but now I'm finally happy @ NYU.

Its all about finding out what you really want to do. I started college as a pre med bio major because thats what everyone else pressured me to do. Now im an education major double majoring in psych and I love it.

Crystal

[kandeebunny]

I have changed majors 3 times now and changed schools as well. I started off as an Art Therapy major at a top school in Boston, hated it, to transfer programs but stay at the shcool I would have had to have been a Business major. I transferred to UNH as a theater major and lost ALL of my credits because all my courses were applied learning. I am still at UNH, but am now a Lit major and I was able to keep almost all of my credits that way!

Good luck, I hope you find what you love doing!

[PrincessTeddyBear]

Originally Posted by musicalSaranader

Hi guys!
I'm currently a vocal music education major at Towson University, but am considering changing, possibly to SUNY Oneonta as an art major concentrating in photography.

So I was wondering...how many of you have changed your major or are planning to, or have transfered/planning to transfer schools? As much as I don't think I'd miss Towson or the music ed. program if I left...I think I'm mostly afraid of leaving the familiarity of it all. Because I've been here for almost three years and that's exactly what it's become: familiar. But at the same time I'm ready for a change. If you did switch, do you think it was the right choice for you?

I've changed majors four times (this is now my fifth and final) and schools three. I did receive an associates degree for one of the majors. Before switching - make sure it's what you want to do. None of the majors I've had up until this point (well, the associates I wanted) were something I really wanted to do, just things that people said I should do; and none of the schools were ones I really wanted to be at so I was miserable. If you're planning on transfering/switching majors, check the credit transfer policies. Up until last year I had 130 college credits and was still a freshman because none of the school's I went to would honor the others school credits. Also, if you do decide to transfer - get in writing what a school is willing to take credit wise. The one college I went to said they'd take at least 60 credits, it not 90 of my associates degree (a verbal agreement) and kept telling me that right up until two weeks before classes started when they suddenly redid how they accept credits from other schools and only took 18 and they were just my electives.

If you want to change I say go for it. Just make sure you have all the information ahead of time.

As for do I think switching schools / majors was the choice for me, I'd have to say yes. My father picked my first school and major because he didn't like the school I had picked or the major I wanted; than my step-father picked my next school and major; and that school / major picked the next school I went into. I finally decided to take a break from school (I was a 4th year freshman) and really sit down and decide what I wanted to do. So I picked what I wanted a degree in and than I picked a school from that. I haven't started classes yet but I don't have a feeling of dread like I did with everything else so I guess it's a good sign.